my youth, under a sense of that marvellous work, for which God, in infinite goodness, sent his Son into the world. The opening of that spring of living waters, which the true believers in Christ experience, by which they are redeemed from pride and covetousness, and brought into a state of meekness, their hearts being enlarged in true love towards their fellow-creatures universally, is precious to me; and the spreading of the knowledge of the truth among the Gentiles is very desirable. But the professed followers of Christ joining in customs evidently unrighteous, manifestly tending to stir up wrath, and increase wars and desolations, hath often covered my mind with sorrow.

If we bring this matter home, and as Job proposed to his friends, "Put our soul in their souls stead ;" if we consider ourselves and our children as exposed to the hardships which these people lie under, in supporting an imaginary greatness; did we in such case behold an increase of luxury and superfluity among our oppressors, and therewith felt an increase of the weight of our burdens, and expected our posterity to groan under oppression after us :-under all this misery, had we none to plead our cause, nor any hope of relief from man, how would our cries, ascend to the God of the spirits of all flesh, who judgeth the world in righteousness, and in his own time is a refuge for the oppressed!

If they who thus afflicted us, continued to lay claim to religion, and were assisted in their business by others, who were esteemed pious people, and, through a friendship with them, strengthened their hands in tyranny; when we were hunger-bitten, and could not have sufficient nourishment, but saw them in fulness pleasing their taste with things fetched from afar; when wearied with labour, if we were denied the liberty to rest, and saw them spending their time at ease: if garments answerable to our necessities were denied us, while

we saw them clothed in that which was costly and delicate: under such affliction, how would these painful feelings rise up as witnesses against their pretended devotion! And if the name of their religion was mentioned in our hearing, how would it sound in our ears like a word which signified self-exaltation, and hardness of heart!

When a trade is carried on, productive of much misery, and they who suffer by it are some thousand miles off, the danger is the greater of not laying their sufferings to heart. In procuring slaves on the coast of Africa, many children are stolen privately; wars also are encouraged among the negros, but all is at a great distance. Many groans arise from Many cries are uttered by

dying men which we hear not. widows and fatherless children, which reach not our ears. Many cheeks are wet with tears, and faces sad with unutterable grief, which we see not. Cruel tyranny is encouraged. The hands of robbers are strengthened, and thousands reduced to the most abject slavery, who never injured us.

Were we, for the term of one year only, to be eye-witnesses of what passeth in getting these slaves; were the blood that is there shed, to be sprinkled on our garments; were the poor captives, bound with thongs, and heavily laden with elephants' teeth, to pass before our eyes on their way to the sea; were their bitter lamentations, day after day, to ring in our ears, and their mournful cries in the night to hinder us from sleeping; were we to hear the sound of the tumult, when the slaves on board the ships attempt to kill the English, and behold the issue of those bloody conflicts; what pious man could behold these things, and see a trade carried on in this manner, without being deeply affected with sorrow!

CHAP. IV. *

On Silent Worship.

Worship in silence hath often been refreshing to my mind, and a care attends me that a young generation may feel the nature of this worship.

Great expense attends that which is called Divine worship: a considerable part of this expense is applied towards outward greatness, and many poor people in raising of tithe, labour for the support of customs contrary to the simplicity which is in Christ; towards them my mind hath often been moved with pity.

In pure, silent worship, we dwell under the Holy anointing, and feel Christ to be our Shepherd. Here the best of teachers ministers to the several conditions of his flock, and the soul receives, immediately from the Divine fountain, that with which it is nourished.

As I have travelled at times where those of other societies have attended our meetings, and have perceived how little some of them know of the nature of silent worship; I have felt tender desires in my heart that we, who often sit silent in our meetings, may live answerable to the nature of an inward fellowship with God, that no stumbling-block through us may be laid in their

way.

* Chapters 2nd and 3rd "On Trading in Superfluities," and "On a Sailor's life," are omitted, being principally a repetition of the sentiments which have already appeared in the journal. See pages 147, 148, 162, &c.

Such is the load of unnecessary expense which attends what is called Divine service in many places, and so much are the minds of many people employed in outward forms and ceremonies, that the introduction of an inward, silent worship in this nation, hath appeared to me to be a precious opening.

Within the last four hundred years, many pious people have been deeply exercised in soul on account of the superstition which prevailed among the professed followers of Christ; and in support of their testimony against oppressive idolatry, have finished their course in the flames. It appears by the history of the reformation, that through the faithfulness of the martyrs, the understandings of many were gradually opened, and the minds of people, from age to age, were prepared for a real spiritual worship.

My mind is often affected with a sense of the condition of those people who, in different ages, have meekly and patiently followed Christ through great afflictions: and while I behold the several steps of reformation, and that clearness to which, through Divine goodness, it hath been brought by our ancestors; I feel tender desires that we, who sometimes meet in silence, may never, by our conduct, lay stumbling-blocks in the way of others, and hinder the progress of reformation in the world.

It was a complaint against some who were called the Lord's people, that they brought polluted bread to his altar, and said the table of the Lord was contemptible. In real silent worship, the soul feeds on that which is divine; but we cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and that table which is prepared by the god of this world. If Christ is our shepherd, and feedeth us, and we are faithful in following Him, our lives will have an inviting language, and the table of the Lord will not be polluted.

AN

EPISTLE

TO THE

QUARTERLY AND MONTHLY MEETINGS

OF FRIENDS.

Beloved Friends,

Feeling at this time a renewed concern, that the pure principle of light and life, and the righteous fruits thereof, may spread and prevail among mankind, there is an engagement on my heart to labour with my brethren in religious profession, that none of us may be a stumbling-block in the way of others; but may so walk, that our conduct may reach the pure witness in the hearts of such as are not in profession with us.

And, dear friends, while we publicly own that the Holy Spirit is our leader, the profession is in itself weighty, and the weightiness thereof increaseth in proportion as we are noted among the professors of truth; and are active in dealing with such as walk disorderly.

Many under our profession, for want of due attention, and a perfect resignation to this Divine Teacher, have in some things manifested a deviation from the purity of our religious